Category: everyday musings

Favorite books of 2022 and books read

On By Lisa R. HowelerIn books and reading, everyday musings5 Comments

 I am not a prolific reader like The Husband and my mom, but I did read more books this year than in other years and thought I would share a few of my favorites today.

If I counted right (because I didn’t keep a list like other years and my totals are mixed up on Goodreads with all the books my mom read), I read 37 books last year, not counting children’s books. If I add in the kid-level books (Beverly Cleary, Laura Ingalls Wilder, Michael Bond, and C.S. Lewis) then I read 47. That’s a lot more than in previous years, so I’m pretty proud of myself. I actually think there are a couple of others I forgot to list.

Among my favorites were:

Anne of the Island by L.M. Montgomery

I read three Anne books in 2022, including Anne of Green Gables, Anne of Avonlea, and Anne of the Island. Anne of Green Gables was a reread, which I read with Little Miss. Anne of the Island was my favorite of all three as it took her out of Avonlea more and pushed her to spread her wings even more.

For 2023 I plan to finish Anne of Windy Poplars and hopefully a couple of other Anne books.

Why Didn’t They Ask Evans by Agatha Christie


I watched the mini-series of this on BritBox (on Amazon Video) before I read the book and ended up liking the book as much as, if not more, than the mini-series. This was the second book of Christie’s I’d read and as always the prose and dialogue is brief and to the point but always tells a suspenseful tale.

I plan to read more of Agatha this year.

Moriarty by Anthony Horowitz

This one had me guessing and on the edge of my seat all the way through. Part of this may because I have watched so much Sherlock Holmes related content with my husband who is a huge fan of Sherlock books (the original and beyond), movies and shows. I think anyone, a fan of Sherlock or not, would love this book but it is definitely geared toward Sherlock lovers who simply can’t get enough of stories about him, whether the originals by Arthur Conan Doyle or spinoffs, so to speak, like those by Horowitz.

I hope to read The House of Silk, another Sherlock-related book, this year.

Walking in Tall Weeds by Robin W. Pearson

This is a book I thought about long after I finished it. Part of the reason I thought about it was because I didn’t know if I agreed with a couple of scenes in the book. They rubbed me the wrong way. I think the fact they rubbed me the wrong was is a testament to Robin’s writing because it made me sit and think about why they rubbed me the wrong way. I realized I had a lot to learn about race relations but also relationships between family in general. It wasn’t only a thinking or issue book, though. There was an underlying love story between a longtime married couple and that story spilled over onto their son and their extended family. Love isn’t always romance, of course.

Call Me A Cab by Donald Westlake

I had not read any books by Donald Westlake before this one and my husband told me that this was a big departure from his other books. I tried another one of his a couple of months ago and have yet to finish it because, yes, Call Me A Cab was much nicer and sweeter. I still want to finish the other book, even though it isn’t necessarily my style.

The Dark Horse by Craig Johnson

This was one of two of the Longmire books I read in 2022. I really thought I’d read more of Craig’s books this year. That is something I hope to remedy in 2023. This was my favorite of the two I read. It followed the story of Walt Longmire investigating a case that other investigators said was already solved. Walt didn’t feel that way so he threw himself right down a rabbit hole to find the truth and I went with him on that ride. A lot of nail-biting fun, as always. Poor Walt, though. He’s always getting stranded out in the cold Wyoming winter while trying to find the truth.

Open Season by C.J. Box

I stayed in Wyoming for this first book in the Joe Pickett series. The Longmire Mysteries take place in Wyoming too, in case you weren’t sure what I was talking about there. This was another mystery that I wasn’t sure where it was going until it was barreling out of control to the finish. By the halfway point I couldn’t put it down and I’m looking forward to reading more in the series this year.

Kitchen Confidential by Anthony Bourdain

This was a non-fiction book that I enjoyed very much despite some crass descriptions, way too many sexual references and quite a few four-letter words. I don’t usually read books like this but I watched Bourdain’s shows for years before he passed away and wanted to go back to the book that launched him into stardom. It was a fascinating look into America’s high-quality restaurants and not all the looks were good, but they were interesting. Bourdain’s love of food from the way it is prepared to how it connects people was the undercurrent of the book and the main reason I pushed through some very cringeworthy sections (cringeworthy for me at least).

Love and A Little White Lie by Tammy Gray

This was a book I read toward the end of the year. I enjoyed the downhome style of it and the real look at the Christian community from a woman unsure of what she believes about God. I hated the one male character and how whiny he was but didn’t let him steal the enjoyment of the book away from me. If I were to meet someone like him in real life, though, I’d  most likely grab him by the front of his shirt, shake him a few minutes and tell him to, “get it together, man!”

I’m looking forward to reading the other two books in the series.

The Do Over by Sharon Peterson

This was a fun rom-com that had me laughing and shaking my head over the witty way in which it was written. The main character, Perci, was a blast and a treat but her Mimi (grandmother) had me gasping and shaking my head more than once. This was a clean read as well, which made me like it even more. I read two books with this title in 2022 and liked this one the best.

Miss Julia Renews Her Vows by Ann B. Ross

I wasn’t as enamored with the other two books I tried from the series because they either seemed to promote lifestyles and situations I wasn’t really a fan of or just weren’t as good as Miss Julia Renews Her Vows. I actually stopped reading the one at the beginning and didn’t look back. I do, however, think I will try one or two more of her books this year.

Favorite Christian Fiction Books

A couple of these books can also be listed under my favorite reads for the year, but I thought I’d separate them out for any Christian Fiction fans who are looking for definite clean reads. Some of the books above were not clean.


I already mentioned Love and A Little White Lie above.

Dead Sea Conspiracy by Jerry B. Jenkins

This was my first book by Jenkins, who has published more than 200 novels, and I enjoyed it much more than I thought I would when I first started it. His writing style irritated me a little bit but the story was well done so I kept reading it. I will read others by him in the future.

The Heart of the Mountains by Pepper Basham

This was my first book by Pepper and it was a wild, historical ride. This one was about a young woman running away from her fate in England and being forced to find a new life in the Appalachian Mountains of the United States. It had a lot of drama, romance, and heartfelt lessons. I am now listening to The Mistletoe Countess by Pepper and enjoying that as well. Some of The Heart of the Mountain was predictable but it was written well so I didn’t mind the predictability as much.

The Uncertainty of Fire by Stephanie Daniels

This was a debut book by an indie author, and it was very good and I’m sure she’ll going to go far. This was a Young Adult Historical Fiction book.

Walking in Tall Weeds, which I mentioned above.

The Rhise of Hope by Max Sternberg

Max is a new independent author who writes Christian fantasy. I am not a big reader of fantasy but have enjoyed his series. This is the second book in the series.

A Refuge of Convenience by Kathy Geary Anderson

I am not usually a big fan of “marriage of convenience tropes” in romances, but this one was creatively done and the storyline surrounding it was interesting enough to keep my attention. The writing itself was also compelling enough that I could look past the trope and instead focus on non-stop action and conflict. It was the second of Kathy’s books I read and I have her others on my 2023 TBR list.

Honorable Mention

Blood Brothers by Elias Chacour

This next one is an honorable mention because I don’t know if I can make a book that provides such a raw look at the Israeli-Palestinian conflict a “favorite” book but it was definitely the most eye-opening I’ve read all year.

Blood Brothers is the story of the Israeli takeover of the Palestinian region and Elias’ struggle with how it was done but also balancing his life as a Palestinian Christian in a world which assumes all Palestinians are Muslims.

For books I read with Grace this year I really enjoyed Emily’s Run Away Imagination, The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe, The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, and The Year of Miss Agnes.

Here is my full list of books read:

Anne of Avonlea by L.M. Montgomery

The Dark Horse by Craig Johnson

Holly’s Homecoming by Jenny Knipfer

Still The One by Susan May Warren and Rachel Russell

The Rhise of Hope by Max Sternberg

The Cat Who Saw Stars by Lilian Jackson Braun

The Road To Redemption by Lisa Jordan

Every Star in the Sky by Sara Davison

Moriarty by Anthony Horowitz

Miss Julia Rocks the Cradle by Ann B. Ross

Miss Julia Renews Her Vows by Ann B. Ross

Anything But Simply by Lucinda J. Miller

Kitchen Confidential by Anthony Bourdain

Open Season by C.J. Box

Violet’s Vow by Jenny Knipfer

Walking in Tall Weeds by Robin Pearson

The Darling Buds of May by H.E. Bates

The Heart of the Mountain by Pepper Basham

Anne of the Island by L.M. Montgomery

Junkyard Dogs by Craig Johnson

The Do Over by Bethany Turner

The Do Over by Sharon M. Peterson

Why Didn’t They Ask Evans by Agatha Christie

Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery

Dead Sea Conspiracy by Jerry B. Jenkins

Into the Flood by Milla Holt

A Brea of French Air by H.E. Bates

A Refuge of Convenience by Kathy Geary Anderson

The Cat Who Wasn’t There by Lilian Jackson Braun

The Uncertainty of Fire by Stephanie Daniels

The Dog Days of Summer by Kathleen Y’Barbo

Shepherd’s Abiding by Jan Karon

Love and A Little White Lie by Tammy Gray

By Broken Birch Bay by Jenny Knipfer

A Quilters Holiday by Jennifer Chiaverini

Christmas Cookie Murder by Leslie Meier

A Mark of Grace by Kimberly Woodhouse

Books Read with Little Miss

The First Four Years by Laura Ingalls Wilder

Freedom Crossing by Margaret Goff Clark

Emily’s Run Away Imagination by Beverly Cleary

On the Banks of Plum Creek by Laura Ingalls Wilder

By the Shores of Silver Lake by Laura Ingalls Wilder

Ribsy by Beverly Cleary

Mountain Born by Elizabeth Yates

The Year of Miss Agnes by Kirkpatrick Hill

The Long Winter by Laura Ingalls Wilder

Ramona The Pest by Beverly Cleary

 


Have you read any of the books on my list?

Sunday Bookends: Gallbladders, colds, and other inconvenient parts of life

On By Lisa R. HowelerIn everyday musings, Sunday Bookends9 Comments



It’s time for our Sunday morning chat. On Sundays I ramble about what’s been going on, what I and the rest of the family have been reading and watching, and what I’ve been writing, and some weeks I share what I am listening to.

What’s Been Occurring

First, Happy New Year to everyone visiting today.

I’m looking forward to a new and exciting year.

I will admit I’m kicking off the year with some trepidation and worry as my mom is in the hospital with a gallbladder issue and not feeling well. Surgery is scheduled for Tuesday. I have not been to see her because I am recovering from a cold and because, as usual, she was thinking of others even as she is in the hospital and asked me to come so I wouldn’t be on the roads on New Year’s Eve. I am, however, going to see her today, whether she likes it or not, but briefly and while following hospital policy and wearing a mask. I even have a n95 I might try to slip on but they are horrible to breathe through, especially when I already have serious sinus issues.

Mom has been having pain in her upper stomach area for several months now and has been told each time that it is gastritis. Her heart and other conditions had been checked and that’s all doctors seemed to be able to figure out. Friday night my dad took her to the ER and an amazing doctor decided to run several tests, believing it very well could be her gallbladder, even though the pain was in a different area than it often is for gallbladder issues. They admitted her, sent her by ambulance to a larger hospital, and now surgery has been scheduled.

Not much else has been occurring since Little Miss developed a cold this past week and then I did as well. The cold was very mild, but annoying.


What I/we’ve been Reading

I actually finished A Mark of Grace by Kimberly Woodhouse this week after starting it at the end of the week before. It was a pretty good book, but I do wish every main character in historical fiction didn’t have to go through such hardship. People in the past had happy lives too. It’s okay to show that and not throw in all the sadness you possibly can on them. That being said, I still liked this book (don’t worry, the sadness is not that crazy) and the mystery surrounding it. I felt I had part of the mystery figured out but still wanted to read on to see if I was right.

Now I am on to The Reckoning Trees by Alicia Gilliam, which is a book I started at the beginning of 2022 and for some reason got distracted from and didn’t finish. I am looking forward to finishing it now. Well, soon. If you’ve been here long, you know I don’t read quickly.

In the evening before bed, I am reading Anne of Windy Poplars because it is wholesome and sweet, and I need that right before bed.

At night, Little Miss and I are reading Fortunately the Milk by Neil Gaiman.

The Husband blazed through books this past week since he was on vacation from work. Right now he’s reading Cold Wind by CJ Box.

What We watched/are Watching

Last week I decided to start watching Cary Grant movies for the winter, but I didn’t get to start them yet. I think I’ll start with Holiday with Katherine Hepburn because I don’t remember watching it before.

I hope to rewatch Suspicion because I think I watched it years ago but can’t remember the details.

I watched the first episode of Miss Scarlet and the Duke and enjoyed it -especially because the man has a Scottish accent.

I hope to watch more of the show this week.

Last night I was watching the Youtubber Darling Desi and Little Miss said to me, “Are you seriously going to just sit there and listen to that woman tell you what she got for Christmas?”

I felt so …. Judged.  I also turned the episode off and went to bed.


What I’m Writing

I’m taking a break from writing and haven’t even shared a lot on the blog recently, but hope to remedy that this upcoming week as I look back at favorite movies, books, and shows from 2022.

Now it’s your turn. What have you been doing, watching, reading, listening to or writing? Let me know in the comments or leave a blog post link if you also write a weekly update like this.

Beyond the Season Free on Amazon this week or the blog always

On By Lisa R. HowelerIn everyday musings1 Comment

Beyond the Season, the Christmas novella I shared here on the blog for 12 days in December was free this week on Amazon and I meant to share that news here on the blog but got completely distracted. Thursday is the last day for the sale.

A copy of the book can also be downloaded for free here on the blog by clicking on the link, Beyond the Season, at the top of the page, or visiting this Book Funnel link: https://dl.bookfunnel.com/mzgwhaihwq

For a refresher, the novella is part of the Spencer Valley Chronicles.

The description:

Christmas has come to Spencer Valley and Robert and Alex are busy trying to pull of some big surprises for the women they love. If only life didn’t try to keep getting in the way and messing up their plans. Will they be able to finish their Christmas surprises in time and will there be a Christmas proposal for one of the characters from the small town readers have fallen in love with?

The Tussle

On By Lisa R. HowelerIn everyday musings7 Comments

By Ronald Robinson (my dad), December 2022

One morning on the family farm in 1927 a tussle broke out between a 16-year-old and his 25-year-old uncle. The reason I do not know but, by the account of the nephew after the tussle his uncle threw a dung (manure) fork at him. A few of you may know what a dung (manure) fork is. At that point, I assume it got more serious The nephew again overpowered his uncle and dragged him through the cow drop, and left him there. Some of you also know what a cow drop is.
That was the lad’s last day at his home. The next day in New Albany he was waiting for the freight train. A gentleman from another farm approached him, “Where do you think you are going? ” In that day trains were linked nationwide even from New Albany. The lad answered “New York City”. The elder farmer said, “You come with me.”

At his farm, he put the young man, for the first time behind a team of horses with a sod till plow and instructed him, “You fix your eyes on a mark on the other side of this field and do not look back” Side note: There are times to look back but, not until the field is plowed. This man and his wife gave the lad a home and provided an upstairs bedroom that had a candle in it for light. The need to be frugal was the time so when he retired for the evening the misses would give him two matches to light the candle. That young man later attended Wilkes barre Business School. After many years of driving truck, he and his wife, a Wilkes-barre Business School graduate became successful benevolent business owners.

When I was a young child, each year after Christmas at New Years’ time I accompanied my parents to my uncle’s and aunt’s home, at the same farm and a meal was prepared. Hominy was always served because the nephew liked it. Me, I did not like it at all. That was by the way, where I saw a television for the first time. The screen was round, slightly larger than a dinner plate, and the images that evening could not be made out. Even after I was married, Carolyn and I were invited to that Hominy meal one time. I do not know when it happened or if the healing process was gradual. but, reconciliation had taken place.

If this year I find some Hominy I will savor it.

Of course, that lad was my Dad.
Bitterness and unforgiveness destroy lives.
Christmas time is a good reconciliation time. Reconciliation is possible when Jesus reigns.
“And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there shall be no end”. Sometimes we do not see His reign, Why? Who is the house of Jacob? Jesus reigns where He is welcome, where there is room for Him to reign.

When there was no room in that inn years ago, Jesus as a baby reigned from that stable. He now reigns in the hearts and affairs of of men when we allow Him, when we make room. Amazing that the ruler of the universes came down from His Glory and knocks on the door of our heart. May we make room, room for the king of Kings to reign in our heart and help us reconcile with others as Father Reconciles us to Himself when we accept Jesus.

RGR, December 2022

“Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation”

Saturday Afternoon Tea and a Chat: Merry Christmas Eve

On By Lisa R. HowelerIn everyday musings10 Comments

Ready for a cup of tea or cocoa? I think most of us need it considering how cold it’s gotten out there in almost every single state of our country.

It seems crazy to me that it is already Christmas Eve, but here we are and for us arctic temperatures have settled on us. Temperatures this cold scare me, I’m not going to lie. What was really crazy was yesterday when we watched the temperature drop from 46 degrees to negative three in less than ten hours. Last night it was negative five (Fahrenheit).

Thankfully our wood stove has been repaired and if we were to lose power in the next couple of days, we’ll at least have the wood stove to keep us warm.

On Thursday we were hit with snow and the youngest was excited to go out and play in it. The pets enjoyed it for a while but eventually decided they’d had enough too. Now, though, the cats are pacing inside by the back door because they think they want to go outside. We are refusing to let them go, of course, because I don’t want to pry their poor frozen bodies off the back porch. They have been chasing each other today to get out the energy — wait, I should say the oldest has been smacking the youngest because she is mean but it looks like play — but later the youngest (Scout) will fall over in front of the wood stove and we will have to check if she is breathing after a few hours.


By that night, rain had moved in and the temperatures rose but the snow still remained by Friday morning when the temperatures started dropping.

As I’m writing this we are at negative three and are supposed to get to at least negative four. (It actually dropped to negative five). I know that’s nothing compared to the folks in Alaska and parts of Canada and we are fine with that. These temperatures are not something we are used to or adjust to well.

The high on Christmas Eve is supposed to be 10 and the high on Christmas Day might be 19.

By next weekend we are supposed to be in the 50s again, which will be odd and bring on a lot of illness probably.

(How’s your drink? Need a warmup? An extra cookie? Take an extra cookie. We have a lot, which is unusual for us, even in pretend world.)

This week was very uneventful, other than the fact Little Miss had severe pain in one of her teeth and was up all night Monday and then in pain again on Tuesday. We thought we might need to get an emergency dentist appointment but then discovered a spot on her gum behind her tooth on the bottom that made it look like she might have cut her gum somehow. We still aren’t sure what happened but by Wednesday the pain was gone and she’s been fine since.

We have a dentist appointment in late January to see if we can get some issues with her teeth taken care of. Those issues, from what we have been told in the past are caused by an enamel deficiency.

With her tooth issues behind her, she is looking forward to Christmas and a week off from school. Both kids and even mom are looking forward to that break. It will help all three of us regroup and get ready for a new year of learning come January 2.

Between the tooth issue and the cold weather, Little Miss and I didn’t get out of the house much so we took some time to make no-bake cookies and chocolate-covered pretzel sticks for our neighbors. The neighbors closest to us, send over a huge pan of homemade cookies every year and Little Miss wanted to send them a treat back. We could never top what they send, of course. My neighbor and her daughter spend two days baking all kinds of cookies and then giving them away to family, friends, and neighbors.

We did purchase a gift basket for them this year, to try to show them how thankful we are for them being our neighbors and for the cookies they always provide.

I had considered buying cookies from a popular bakery near us and pretending I made them all but, in the end, I really couldn’t do it.

(I might have one of those cookies with my tea now, come to think of it.)

As I write this, we are watching Top Gun Maverick instead of Christmas movies but did watch one of the old 60s Santa Claus claymation movies earlier in the evening.

Today we were going to go to my parents to make homemade pizza, but we decided to stay out of the frigid temps and instead just brave them one day this weekend.

Tomorrow we will have to brave them to spend Christmas with my parents, however. It will be worth it and we are all looking forward to it, though we are disappointed that my brother and his wife have decided they won’t be able to attend.

So, how is the weather where you are? Freezing cold still? Ready for Christmas tomorrow? Or maybe just ready for some downtime? Let me know in the comments and if I don’t talk to you before then, have a Merry Christmas!

Get in the spirit of Christmas: Five Christmas Music Specials, Five Christmas Songs, and Three Christmas-themed programs to help you do just that.

On By Lisa R. HowelerIn everyday musings7 Comments

Some years we are either too busy, too nerved up, or too down to really feel the Christmas spirit. If you need a little help this year, for whatever, reason, here are some ideas to give you a brief time of peace or joy as we remember the true gift of Christmas, our savior Jesus Christ.  

Five Christmas Music Specials

1. Amy Grant and Michael W. Smith

2. A Story of the First Christmas with The Chosen (includes the short film, The Shepherd)

https://youtu.be/T5ftnTK9-3w

3. Michael W. Smith and Friends

4. Christmas on Broadway with CeCe Winans

5. Gaither Christmas Sing-A-Long



Five Christmas Songs

  1. Mary Did You Know (Jordan Smith version)
  • O Come O Come Emmanuel with For King and Country and Needtobreathe
  • It’s Beginning to Look A Like Christmas by Michael Buble
  • Amy Grant, Breath of Heaven



Three-Christmas Themed Programs (or old specials)

1. A Walton’s Christmas

2. A Garfield Christmas

3. The Berenstain Bears Christmas

Bonus: one movie

The Bishop’s Wife. This is a heartwarming tale of a Anglican Bishop who has become so obsessed building a Cathedral that he has lost sight of what is really important in life, including his wife and daughter. Enter Cary Grant, playing an angel, who wants to get the bishop back on track again before he loses everything.

‘Tis the Season Cinema: Emmett Otter’s Jug Band Christmas and Charlie Brown’s Christmas

On By Lisa R. HowelerIn everyday musings5 Comments

To close out our ‘Tis The Season Cinema feature, Erin from Still Life, With Cracker Crumbs and I watched Emmett Otter’s Jug Band Christmas and Charlie Brown Christmas this week. Blogger Katja from Breath of Hallelujah joined in as well.

Both films are aimed at children but carry inspirational messages for all ages.

I don’t know how I had never heard of the Emmett Otter movie until Erin mentioned it, but I hadn’t.  It is shocking considering – gulp – how old I am and it was released in 197…er..something. The year I was born. Anyhoooo…

The movie is a Jim Henson creation and is about Emmett Otter and his mom who are living alone after the passing of Emmett’s father. They both decide to enter a music contest where they could win $50, hoping they can win and buy each other store-bought gifts. Neither of them knows that the other one has decided to enter.

The story is a twist on the story The Gift of the Magi and in the end, sacrifices have to be made to be sure they can get their loved one the gift they want.

The movie began as a stage adaption by Henson and was later transformed into the film to be shown on CBS.

The puppetry is cute, like all of Henson’s movies, and the songs are sweet and full of warmth. I’d listen to them on a soundtrack even without the movie.

The love between Emmett and his mom is so tender and wholesome. Plus the puppets are so cute I want to reach through the screen and cuddle them.

Henson’s version is based on a story written and illustrated by Russell and Lillian Hoban, creators of Bread and Jam for Frances and other treasured children’s books, in 1971.

The film featured Muppets characters but also Hoban’s characters. The main Muppets character showcased in the film is Kermit.

If you want to watch the movie you can find it for free on YouTube or streaming on Amazon and Peacock.

I’m glad Erin told me about it and I’m sure it will be one we will watch again in other years.

Charlie Brown’s Christmas is one we try to watch each Christmas.

The songs sung during the show transport me back to a simpler time in a similar way to I’m sure how the songs on Emmett Otter transport Erin back to a simpler time for her.

In the beginning, Charlie laments with his friend Linus that he doesn’t feel like he thinks he should feel for Christmas. In fact, he feels depressed. If you ask me, Charlie has put on himself the same pressure we put on ourselves to be happy at Christmas by participating in all the activities, sending the cards, and buying the gifts, but not really realizing that Christmas is much more than all of those things.

As Charlies discovers, Christmas is about being together with family and recognizing the ultimate gift of the season — hope found in the birth of Christ.

The main plot of the movie is that Charlie feels detached from Christmas emotionally and to make him feel more involved, Lucy tells him he can direct their (school, church, community? I don’t know which) school play. Charlie decides to take the job seriously and gets very into it. Lucy gets into it as well, yelling at the cast to respect their director, as well as threatening them with bodily harm.  

I always forget certain lines in the movie, including the one that Lucy says about not eating December snowflakes because the ones in January taste better. I may totally test that theory out.

The scene that people who have seen the special remember the most is when Linus gives a speech about what Christmas is really about by reciting from Luke 2:8-14. This comes after Charlie declares that getting more involved in Christmas activities has still left him depressed and he calls out, “Does anyone really know what Christmas is about?”

I love that this was part of the film and that when it first aired on television in 1965 it was something television stations didn’t even blink at showing. The Christian message of Christmas was still very much a part of society at that time.

Producers, however, tried to talk Peanut’s creator and illustrator Charles M. Schulz out of keeping in the part with Linus reciting from Luke. Schulze, according to Amazon’s trivia section on the film, refused by saying “If we don’t, who will?” The recitation was praised as one of the most impactful moments in that special and any animated episode. In the original comic strip that featured the story, Linus was actually stressed out about having to learn and give the recitation.

As a little bit of additional trivia, the producers of the show were convinced the show would be a flop and were surprised when it was well received by viewers.

The special remains the second-longest-running Christmas special on US Network Television behind Rudolph the Reindeer.

Incidentally, every time I watch a Peanuts movie I try to figure out who I relate to most and I think I relate to more than one character. I relate to Linus because I had a blanket as a kid too (my mom eventually sewed it into a pillow when there was barely anything of it left). I also relate to Charlie, though, because he’s always melancholy and searching for happiness. I may have a bit of Lucy in me as well because I’m also a bit bossy and trying to fix everything or make sure it goes my way. Luckily not as aggressive as she does it, though.

As usual, I feel bad for poor Charlie Brown, who everyone always makes fun of, or rejects, but, of course, in the end, the real message for Charlie is finding out what Christmas is really about. His friends and classmates also rally around him in the end by decorating the little tree he found and making it a real Christmas tree while singing Hark the Herald Angels Sing with him.

These two Christmas specials were a nice, wholesome, and heartfelt ending to our Christmas movie feature. I hope all of our readers found a movie you weren’t as familiar with and either found time to watch one with your family or will find time in the next few days and into next week.

To read Erin’s impressions of these Christmas specials you can read her post on her blog. To read Katja’s you can visit her blog.

A Christmas in Spencer: Beyond the Season Chapter 11

On By Lisa R. HowelerIn everyday musings, fiction2 Comments

We are almost to the final day of this story! Isn’t that crazy?! That means we are almost to Christmas too! So exciting. What do you think will happen in the last chapter? Let me know in the comments!

Welcome to the eleventh chapter of a twelve-chapter story I am sharing on the blog. This is being shared with minimal editing, just for fun, but it will be fully edited once it is complete.

You can catch up on chapters HERE.

If you would like to read more about the characters in this story, you can find full-length novels on Amazon for purchase or on Kindle Unlimited HERE,

The first three chapters of the first book, The Farmer’s Daughter, can be found HERE.

Once all the chapters have been shared here, I’ll be providing a free Book Funnel link to blog readers and placing the story on Amazon for 99 cents.



Chapter 11

Chaos reigned in the Tanner household the day before Christmas and Robert couldn’t wait to escape it. Six women were laughing, mixing, baking, bumping into each other and when he’d come into the house for lunch, they’d asked him to taste test three different kinds of cookies, which wouldn’t have been so bad if he hadn’t needed to get back to the shed to finish the swing.

“Which one, Dad? The gingerbread or the molasses?”

“Um.” He spoke with a mouthful of cookie. “They’re both really good. I think we should have both.”

Liz laughed. “We’re going to cook both. Molly and I just want to know which one you liked better.”

He raised an eyebrow and looked between the two young women. “Is this some kind of competition? Because I don’t want to be the judge of some kind of competition between you two.”

Liz looked at him with wide, innocent eyes. “Robert, of course, this isn’t some kind of compe—”

“It’s totally a competition,” Molly said quickly. “And I’m your daughter so you’d better pick my cookie.”

The other women, which included his mother, his wife, Annie’s mother, Ellie, and his sister all laughed and gathered behind Molly and Liz, pausing in their work.

Robert’s gaze slid to the women, then back to Molly who had leveled a steady gaze on him, a small smile pulling at her mouth. He swallowed the bite of cookie. “I like them both. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it.”

He quickly excused himself to the sound of laughter before any of the women could stop him, snatched his coat off the hanger by the back door, and headed out the door.

Alex was on his way to the house from the barn. Robert grabbed his arm gently. “You don’t want to go in there. It’s a madhouse.”

Alex’s brow dipped in concern as he looked from Robert to the backdoor. “What do  you mean?”

“There are a lot of women in there and they’ll try to make you taste test their food and then make you choose sides by saying which recipe is better.”

Alex grinned and gently removed Robert’s hand from his arm. “That sounds like heaven. See you in an hour.”

Robert shook his head and turned back to the barn. That young man would change his mind when two women watched him intently and waited for an answer. No man wanted to tell a woman that their recipe wasn’t as good as someone else’s.  Not if they knew what was good for them.

Brad had pulled through much to his and Alex’s relief, despite a two-day snowstorm that had delayed his trip until two days before Christmas.

Robert had put the bolts on the swing early that morning and Bert was finishing up the engine. Alex had finished the paint job and planned to pick up the truck the next morning.

 After Robert hooked on the chains, he and Jason would load the swing onto the back of the truck and drive it down to the house covered with a tarp so he could install the swing early Christmas morning. He’d enlisted Molly to keep Annie busy in the kitchen while he installed it.

After chores were completed in the barn and dinner was eaten in a kitchen now emptied of the fairer sex, Robert and Annie showered and dressed and drove to town for the Christmas Eve service. Alex, Molly, Jason, Ellie, Liz, Isabella, and Matt met them there, along with Matt’s mother, brother and sister, and Liz’s parents. Liz’s sister and family also attended, which marked the first time since they’d moved back to Spencer that they’d been able to attend a service as a family.

Robert slid his hand over Annie’s as the music began. The church was lit with candles lining the aisles and spread across the stage and altar up front. Wreathes of pine decorated the wall along the stage and behind the choir and the pastor.

Rush had been the word of the day for the last few weeks and now the entire family seemed to be taking a collective breath and letting the peace of the season seep into their souls, soothe aching muscles physically and worried hearts spiritually.

When the music started to signal that the cantata would begin soon, Robert’s shoulders relaxed, he sat back in the pew, and he closed his eyes. He let the music wash over him and push away any thoughts about what needed to be done tomorrow — for Christmas day’s celebration and on the farm. Farmers never had holidays which meant the cows would still need to be milked and fed and stalls cleaned. Most of the day would be set aside for family time, though. Any repair projects could wait.

Muffled laughter caused him to open his eyes and look around for the source of amusement. Soon the laughing spread and he turned slightly in his pew just in time to see a black and white cat stroll nonchalantly down the center aisle toward the stage. He watched it, eyes narrowing.

Without looking away from the cat he reached over and tapped Annie’s arm.

“Hey, is that —“

“Yes, it is. Whose truck did she climb in the back of this time?”

Scout, one of their barn cats, had climbed in the back of a pickup at least twice before at the farm, once hitching a ride to Walt’s farm and another time to the farm store. This was the first time she’d made it to town, though.

The cat walked up the steps, stretched her long body out, and lay down on the top step as the congregation watched with smiles.

“I’d better go get her,” Robert whispered as the pastor stepped out on the stage.

Annie pulled her lower lip between her teeth briefly, then released it. “Yeah. Maybe you’d better.”

z“Well, I see even the domesticated pets are here tonight to worship the birth of our savior,” Pastor Joe said with a smile. “In Psalm 148 it says, ‘Wild animals and all cattle, small creatures, and flying birds, kings of the earth and all nations, you princes and all rulers on earth, young men and maidens, old men and children. Let them praise the name of the Lord, for his name alone is exalted; his splendor is above the earth and the heavens.”

Scout had curled up into a ball now, ready for a nap. “I think we’ll just let this visitor stay for now. There must be something comforting to him or her about our church and that, to me, is a very high compliment indeed.”

Robert sat back in the pew again, shaking his head and laughing. For the next hour and a half, the cat napped, waking up only when Robert scooped her up after the cantata was over. He placed her in the cab of the truck with him and Annie, both of them unable to stop laughing over her sudden appearance.

They’d been taught that God had a sense of humor, Robert thought as he drove home, the cat in Annie’s lap. Hopefully, he’d found the humor in Scout’s attendance at a service to honor him

***

The sun had just started to rise over the horizon when Alex left the barn after the morning chores to head for town.

“Hey! Where are you off to?” Molly called after him. “We’re going to have a full family breakfast soon.”

He glanced over his shoulder. “I’ll be back soon, don’t worry. I have something I need to grab in town.”

He left her standing outside the barn with confusion etched on her face. It couldn’t be helped, though. He’d agreed to meet Bert at the shop and pick up the truck and then they’d both drive back for breakfast and lunch at the Tanner’s for the day.

When he reached the shop Bert had already pulled the truck outside. The men stood and admired the new paint job on the truck, the shine on the bumpers, and even the new tires.

“It looks good, Alex it really does.” Bert smiled, eyes glistening. “My father-in-law would have been really proud to see it in such good shape.”

Alex stepped around to the front of the truck, hands at his waist as he admired the final product. “You had a lot to do with it, more than me even.”

“You did the paint job, shined it up. Reminds me of when I first saw Ned with it. Hannah was in the passenger seat next to him. She was the most beautiful creature I’d ever laid eyes on. I never thought she’d give me the time of day that day let alone let me marry her a decade later when we were both old enough to get married.” He winked. “We were only 15 when we first met.” He laughed, touching the back of a finger across the bottom of his eye, and turned away. He pulled a handkerchief from his coverall pocket. “Sorry, I got so emotional there. Didn’t expect that.”

Alex patted his shoulder. “Hey, no problem. Memories are powerful, especially when they are good ones.”

Bert blew his nose and wadded the handkerchief up, shoving it back in his pocket. “My marriage has been a good one, kid. I guess that’s why I keep pushing you to propose to Molly. I want you two to experience the happiness we have. Being married, making that commitment to be there for each other no matter what, in front of all your friends and family – I don’t know. There’s something fulfilling about it.”

Alex pulled his cowboy hat down low on his head and nodded. “I know, Bert, I appreciate it.”

Bert sniffed and tossed a set of keys to him. “Anyhow, here are the keys. I’ll follow you in your truck and meet you at the house.”

Alex slid behind the steering wheel of the 1976 Chevy, cranked the window down, and closed the door. “I have to take a detour, so I’ll meet you there.”

Bert grinned. “Another gift to pick up?”

Alex touched a finger to his hat. “I’m keeping that under my hat, but I’ll see you at Robert and Annie’s for breakfast. Don’t eat all the bacon on me.”

Alex started the truck and listened to it rumble for a few minutes, then slid his hand across the surface of the new red upholstery on the truck seat. He hadn’t thought they’d be able to replace that too, but in the end, Jason had helped and they’d pulled it off.

He took a deep breath and shifted the truck into gear, nodding to Bert again as he pulled the truck out of the parking lot. Turning the radio on, a favorite song came on and he hummed along, turning the truck toward the road that would lead him to Molly, but first her grandmother.